The rally was just one part of the week-long Diversity Days, sponsored by the CommUNITY Diversity Group, a La Grange nonprofit that meets the first Thursday of every month at the Community Center, 200 S. Washington Ave.

Featured speaker Audra Wilson, executive director of the Illinois League of Women’s Voters, talked about the challenges that naturally came with conversations with a diverse citizenry, especially conversations about race.

Wilson, who once worked on the staff of then-Sen. Barack Obama, said there is something special about the Illinois League of Women Voters, because the organization was founded in Chicago.

“I think of Illinois as sort of a flagship,” she said.

Wilson noted that although the league was nonpartisan and open to all people, it had struggled with issues of diversity, noting its founding in 1920 was 45 years before the Voting Rights Act passed, and that there was a lack of recognition given to women of color who toiled in the suffragette movement.

But she said the United States remained unique in that wherever or however people came to it, all groups made a contribution.

Sister Marlene Schemmel of the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, performed the invocation for the rally, and the performance group Watch My Feet staged various skits with themes addressing diversity, bullying and critical decision-making.

The group operates under the direction of the LeaderShop, a nonprofit in La Grange that works to empower youth through various programs, focused on junior high and high school age students.

“It exposes kids in the community and helps them to become leaders and be confident,” said Miriam Cruz of the LeaderShop.

Becky Lorentzen and Harold Gibson receive are recognized for outstanding achievement by CommUNITY Diversity Group President Marian Honel-Wilson. (Hank Beckman / Pioneer Press)

Cruz, a graduate of Manchester University in Indiana, is taking over as the leader of the group, a group that she started performing in when she was younger.

A Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Mary Klonowski, who couldn’t attend because of health issues. The award was accepted by her daughter, Joanne Klonowski. Becky Lorentzen and Harold Gibson was recognized for outstanding achievement.

“We all need to take action and do something about it,” Honel-Wilson said.

The audience listens to Audra Wilson from the League of Women Voters. (Hank Beckman / Pioneer Press)

Diversity Days began Friday with a viewing of Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman” at the La Grange Public Library. Upcoming events include discussions on Robin Diangleo’s book “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism" at 7 p.m. Sept. 12 at the library, 10 W. Cossitt Ave.

The book will also be discussed at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Thomas Ford Memorial Library, 800 Chestnut St. Western Springs.